Fluid mixing apparatus and methods

ABSTRACT

Apparatus and methods are provided for making a beverage or providing a liquid. First and second liquids may be mixed to form a mixed liquid. The mixed liquid may be passed through a frothing head and/or may be combined with a coffee product and optionally dispensed into a cup. Examples of first and second liquids can include, but are not limited to various dairy products, enzymes and flavoring liquids. According to one example implementation, a first liquid is a reduced fat milk, such as skim milk, and a second liquid is whole milk, thereby enabling the creation of dairy product varieties including one percent and two percent milk to be created by the appropriate mixture combination of the skim milk and whole milk.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates broadly to the beverage industry. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to apparatus and methods for themixing of multiple liquids.

BACKGROUND

The production of beverage milks combines the operations ofclarification, separation for the production of lower fat milks,pasteurization, and homogenization. While the fat content of most rawmilk is 4% or higher, the fat content in most beverage milks has beenreduced to 3.4%. Lower fat alternatives, such as 2% fat, 1% fat, or skimmilk (<0.1% fat) are also available in most markets. These products areeither produced by partially skimming the whole milk, or by completelyskimming it and then adding an appropriate amount of cream back toachieve the desired final fat content.

Milk is a major ingredient in espresso and cocoa-based gourmetbeverages, specifically cappuccino, mocha, hot cocoa, and lattebeverages, both hot and iced. One method for producing cappuccino andlatte beverages is through the use of super-automated brewing equipment.These machines come equipped as two-step or one-step machines, referringto the number of steps required by the operator to produce themilk/espresso beverage. Two-step machines require the operator to firsthand steam the milk component and then combine the milk with espressothat is produced automatically by the machine or with cocoa. One-stepmachines automatically steam and combine the milk component withautomatically produced espresso.

A major limitation of existing available one-step machines is thevariety of milk that is available to the consumer. Machines currentlyavailable can only handle one milk variety due to limitations in milkstorage, plumbing, and recipe programming capacity.

In the North American market in particular this creates a problem andmajor limitation for the commercial viability of these one-step machinesbecause the educated coffee consumer has become accustomed to choosingbetween, skim, 1%, 2%, and whole (3.4%) milk. Retailers typically steammilk by hand in order to offer this variety of milk to their customers.This results in slower customer service, product inconsistency and moremilk waste.

SUMMARY

Various embodiments of the present invention can address some of thedeficiencies of the art and are usable with many types of brewingequipment. Examples of the present invention may be used in a widevariety of applications to provide an ability to automatically mixfluids, including dairy products, in order to provide a desired fluid asan additive to a beverage.

Various embodiments of the invention may provide methods or apparatusfor providing a beverage and/or addition to a beverage. According to anillustrative embodiment of the invention, an apparatus provides aliquid. In this embodiment, the apparatus includes a water input; afirst liquid input in fluid communication with a first liquid storage; asecond liquid input in fluid communication with a second liquid storage;a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the first liquid input andsecond liquid input and adapted to provide a mixture of the first liquidand the second liquid; and a frothing head in fluid communication withthe mixing chamber, the frothing head adapted to receive the mixture;wherein the water input is in fluid communication with a dispenser andthe dispenser and the frothing head are configured to output into aliquid container.

In another illustrative embodiment of the invention, an apparatus forproviding a liquid includes a frothing head; a first liquid pump havinga first output coupled to the frothing head and having a first inputcoupled to a first refrigerated liquid container; and a second liquidpump having a second output coupled to the frothing head and having asecond input coupled to a second refrigerated liquid container.

According to one illustrative embodiment of the invention, an apparatusfor providing a beverage includes a brewing chamber configured toreceive coffee grounds and water and to output coffee; a mixing chamberin fluid communication with a first liquid input and a second liquidinput and adapted to output a mixture of the first liquid and the secondliquid; and a beverage container region having at least one elementdefining a border of the region, wherein the mixing chamber is in fluidcommunication with the beverage container region to dispense the mixtureinto the beverage container region and wherein the brewing chamber is influid communication with the beverage container region to dispense thecoffee into the beverage container region.

According to one illustrative embodiment of the invention, a method ofmaking a beverage includes the acts of obtaining a first liquid dairyproduct; obtaining a second liquid dairy product; receiving aninstruction to specify a mixture of the first liquid dairy product andthe second liquid dairy product; automatically mixing the first liquiddairy product and the second liquid dairy product to form a mixed dairyproduct; dispensing the mixed diary product into a cup; and dispensing acoffee product into the cup.

A method of making a beverage includes receiving an instruction tospecify a mixture of a first liquid dairy product and an enzyme; mixingthe first liquid dairy product and the enzyme according to theinstruction; dispensing the mixed first liquid diary product and theenzyme into a cup; and dispensing a coffee product into the cup.

A further method of making a beverage according to another illustrativeembodiment of the invention includes receiving an instruction to specifya mixture of a first liquid dairy product and a flavoring liquid; mixingthe first liquid dairy product and the flavoring liquid according to theinstruction; dispensing the mixed first liquid diary product and theflavoring liquid into a cup; and dispensing a coffee product into thecup.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a first embodiment of an apparatusfor providing a liquid according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of an apparatus for providing aliquid according to a further illustrative embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates an apparatus for providing a beverage according to afurther illustrative embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 4 through 6 provide example flowchart illustrations of variousmethods of making a beverage according to further example embodiments ofthe invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to various embodiments of this invention, methods and devicesare provided for making a beverage and/or providing a liquid. First andsecond liquids may be mixed to form a mixed liquid. The mixed liquid maybe passed through a frothing head and/or may be combined with a coffeeproduct and optionally dispensed into a cup. Examples of first andsecond liquids can include, but are not limited to various dairyproducts, enzymes and flavoring liquids. According to an exampleimplementation, a first liquid is a reduced fat milk, such as skim milk,and a second liquid is whole milk, thereby enabling the creation ofdairy product varieties including one percent and two percent milk to becreated by the appropriate mixture combination of the skim milk andwhole milk.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is provided in FIG. 1. Theapparatus 100 for providing liquid includes a mixing chamber 110 havinga first liquid input 120 and a second liquid input 130. The first liquidinput 120 is in fluid communication with a first liquid storage 140 andthe second liquid input 130 is in communication with a second liquidstorage 150. The mixing chamber 110 is configured to output a mixture ofthe first liquid and the second liquid. It is understood that the outputof the mixing chamber 110 may not be fully mixed so as to be uniformmixture of the first liquid and second liquid, although further mixtureof the fluids may occur in a frothing head 160 and/or a liquid container200. Alternatively, the mixing chamber 110 may provide a thoroughlymixed output.

The output of the mixing chamber 110 is coupled to the frothing head 160that is configured to froth the output of the mixing chamber. Frothingof the output may be performed in a wide variety of ways known in theart, including the injection of air into the fluid passing through thefrothing head. Optionally, a heating element 170 may be providedproximate to the frothing head to heat the output of the mixing chamber110. A water input 180 is also provided with the apparatus 100. Thewater input 180 is in fluid communication with a dispenser 190. Both thedispenser 190 and the frothing head 160 are configured to output intothe liquid container 200. The invention can be used with a wide varietyof liquid containers 200, such as for example, a coffee mug, a pitcher,a vat and/or a bucket.

Optionally, a brewing chamber 185 may be provided in fluid communicationwith the water input 180 and the dispenser 190. The brewing chamber 185may be used to brew a beverage such as coffee. Brewing methods caninclude, but are not limited to, percolation, French press, espresso,drip, cold and vacuum brewing.

The first liquid storage 140 and second liquid storage 150 may berefrigerated and may be used to store a wide variety of liquids.Examples of liquids can include, but are not limited to dairy productssuch as reduced fat milk, skim milk, one percent milk, two percent milk,whole milk and heavy cream. Other examples of fluids can include aflavorizing liquid that can be used to provide a flavor to the output ofthe mixing chamber 110. Another example of a fluid for use in the firstliquid storage 140 or second liquid storage 150 is an enzyme.

Examples of enzymes can include, but are not limited to, enzymes toenable digestion of milk by a lactose-intolerant person. In one example,the enzyme can break down at least some of the lactose in the milk tocreate a digestible sugar, as is understood in the art.

Various embodiments of the invention can provide a liquid mixingcapability that can enable the delivery of any milk fat percentage inany size beverage, by the cup, and on-demand, including while utilizingone-step super automated brewing equipment, such as, but not limited to,the Egro 50 Series super-automated brewing system. This milk handlingstrategy can be provided with an ability to store the milk in connectionwith the automated brewing equipment or may utilize a separate milkstorage system, such as a separate refrigerator.

By utilizing two milks, such as, for example a reduced fat milk, suchas, for example skim (<0.1% fat), and whole (3.4% fat), and combiningthem in various proportions as they enter the one or more frothingheads, the creation of unlimited permutations of delivered milk fatcontent is provided, in any beverage size, to the final beverage cup.

According to a second illustrative embodiment of the invention, anapparatus 300 may provide a liquid. The apparatus 300 is illustrated byway of example in FIG. 2. The apparatus 300 includes a first liquid pump310 and a second liquid pump 320. Each of the liquid pumps 310, 320 isconfigured to have a liquid input coupled to a refrigerated liquidcontainer. The first pump 310 has a liquid input coupled to a firstrefrigerated liquid container 330, while the second pump 320 has a inputcoupled to a second refrigerated liquid container 340. A controller 350is provided to control the timing and rate of operation of each of thepumps 310, 320. The pumps 310, 320 are configured to output to afrothing head 360. By use of the controller 350, the first pump 310and/or second pump 320 may be activated to provide a desired mixture ofa liquid contained in the first refrigerated liquid container 330 andthe liquid contained in the second refrigerated liquid container 340.According to one example implementation of the invention, skim milk maybe located in the first refrigerated liquid container 330 and whole milkmay be located in the second refrigerated liquid container 340. Inanother example implementation of the invention, a dairy product may belocated in the first refrigerated liquid container 330 and an enzyme maybe located in the second refrigerated liquid container 340.

By enabling the independent but simultaneous control of each pump 310,320, milk can be combined in a range from 100% of a first fluid, such asskim milk to 100% of a second fluid, such as whole milk, or any mixtureof the two. By way of illustration, if a customer orders a whole milklatte, the recipe can include instructions to activate only the pumpconnected to the liquid container having whole milk, thereby delivering100% whole milk to the frothing head(s) and, eventually, beverage cup.If the customer orders a 2% milk latte, then the recipe instructionswill include signals to drive both pumps 310, 320 in a manner thatdelivers the appropriate percentage of each milk so that when combinedat the frothing head(s) the resulting steamed or cold milk contains 2%milk fat.

For 1% milk orders the recipes would specify 29% by volume whole milk,and 71% by volume nonfat milk, yielding 1% milk fat content in the cup.Similarly the system could deliver milk at 0.5%, 1.5%, or 2.5% or anyother % in between 0% and 3.4% by programming the appropriate ratio.Also, should a higher milk fat content be desired the whole milkingredient could be replace by half & half, light cream, heavy creametc. and the associated milk fat % would be calculated in order todeliver the correct final milk fat content (4, 5, 6% etc.) in thebeverage. For skim milk orders, the recipe will include instructions toactivate only the pump connected to the liquid container having skimmilk, thereby delivering 100% skim milk to the frothing head(s) andbeverage cup.

According to a third example embodiment of the invention, an apparatus400 for providing a beverage may be provided as illustrated by way ofexample in FIG. 3. A brewing chamber 410 is configured to receive coffeegrounds and water and to output coffee. A mixing chamber 420 is in fluidcommunication with a first liquid input 422 and a second liquid input424 and can output a mixture of the first liquid and second liquid. Abeverage container region 430 is also provided having at least oneelement 432 defining a border of the region 430. The mixing chamber 420is in fluid communication with the beverage container region 430 todispense a mixture of the first liquid and second liquid into thebeverage container region 430. The brewing chamber 410 is in fluidcommunication with the beverage container region 430 to dispense thecoffee into the beverage container region 430.

Optionally, a coffee bean grinder 440 may be provided to grind coffeebeans and provide the coffee grounds to the brewing chamber 410. Alsooptionally, a first and/or second refrigerated liquid storage 450, 460may be provided in fluid communication with the first liquid input 422and second liquid input 424, respectively, of the mixing chamber 420.Optionally, a frothing head 470 may be provided in fluid communicationwith the mixing chamber 420 and the beverage container region 430 so asto froth an output of the mixing chamber 420. Optionally, an inputdevice 480 may be provided to receive an instruction to specify adesired mixture of the first liquid and second liquid.

A wide variety of fluids may be stored in the first and secondrefrigerated liquid storage 450, 460. Examples include, but are notlimited to skim milk, one percent milk, two percent milk, whole milk,heavy cream, an enzyme and a flavoring liquid. According to an exampleimplementation of the invention, the input device 480 may receive aninstruction to mix two percent milk. The first refrigerated liquidstorage 450 may have skim milk located therein, and the secondrefrigerated liquid storage 460 may have whole milk located therein. Byan appropriate mixture of the skim milk and whole milk, the desired twopercent milk may be mixed by the mixing chamber 420 and therefore outputto the beverage container region 430.

An element 432 of the beverage container region 430 may include asidewall, base plate, top plate, one or more posts and/or a marking soas to define at least a portion of a border of the beverage containerregion 430. The beverage container region 430 is intended to receive andoptionally store a beverage container, thereby locating the beveragecontainer 490, such as a coffee cup, to receive the output of thebrewing chamber 410 and mixing chamber 420, optionally through thefrothing head 470.

By way of example, in operation, if the input device 480 receivesinstructions for a 16 oz latte beverage, the recipe could specify 2 ozof espresso, and 14 oz of milk. In order to deliver 14 oz of 2% milk,the recipe could specify the delivery of 8.24 oz (59% by volume) wholemilk and 5.76 oz (41% by volume) skim. For larger and smaller 2% milkdrinks, the milk volumes would be adjusted utilizing the 59/41% ratio.

According to a further example embodiment of the invention, a method ofmaking a beverage is provided as illustrated by way of example in FIG.4. The method 500 includes obtaining 510 a first liquid dairy productand obtaining 520 a second liquid dairy product. Examples of liquiddairy products include, but are not limited to reduced fat milk, skimmilk, one percent milk, two percent milk, whole milk and heavy cream. Aninstruction is received 530 to specify a mixture of the first liquiddairy product and the second liquid dairy product. The first liquiddairy product and second liquid dairy product are automatically mixed540 to form a mixed dairy product. The mixed dairy product is dispensed550 into a cup. The coffee product is also dispensed 560 into the cup.Optionally, the mixed dairy product may be heated prior to dispensing550 the mixed dairy product into the cup. Optionally, steam may beinjected into the mixed dairy product prior to dispensing 550 the mixeddairy product into the cup.

A further example embodiment of the invention is a method 600 of makinga beverage as illustrated by way of example in FIG. 5. The methodincludes receiving 610 an instruction to specify a mixture of a firstliquid dairy product and an enzyme. The first liquid dairy product andenzyme are mixed 620 according to the instruction. The mixed firstliquid dairy product and the enzyme are dispensed 630 into a cup. Also,a coffee produce is dispensed 640 into the cup. Optionally, a secondliquid dairy product may be mixed with the first liquid dairy productand/or the enzyme. In such a case, dispensing 630 the mixed first liquiddairy product and the enzyme into the cup also includes dispensing themixed second liquid dairy product.

According to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method700 is provided by way of example in FIG. 6. The method 700 is a methodof making a beverage and includes receiving 710 an instruction tospecify a mixture of a first liquid dairy product and a flavoringliquid. The first liquid dairy product and the flavoring liquid aremixed 720 according to the instruction. The mixed first liquid dairyproduct and the flavoring liquid are dispensed 730 into a cup. Also, acoffee product is dispensed 740 into the cup. Optionally, a secondliquid dairy product may be mixed with the first liquid dairy productand/or the flavoring liquid. In such an implementation, dispensing 730the mixed first liquid dairy product and the flavoring liquid into thecup also includes dispensing the mixed second liquid dairy product.

The illustrative embodiments, implementations and examples herein aremeant to be illustrative and not limiting. The present invention hasbeen described by way of example, and modifications and variations ofthe exemplary embodiments will suggest themselves to skilled artisans inthis field without departing from the spirit of the invention. Featuresand characteristics of the above-described embodiments may be used incombination. The preferred embodiments are merely illustrative andshould not be considered restrictive in any way.

1.-23. (canceled)
 24. A method of making a beverage, the method comprising: obtaining a first liquid dairy product; obtaining a second liquid dairy product; receiving an instruction to specify a mixture of the first liquid dairy product and the second liquid dairy product; automatically mixing the first liquid dairy product and the second liquid dairy product to form a mixed dairy product; dispensing the mixed diary product into a cup; and dispensing a coffee product into the cup.
 25. The method of claim 24, further comprising heating the mixed diary product prior to the act of dispensing the mixed dairy product.
 26. The method of claim 24, further comprising injecting steam into the mixed diary product prior to the act of dispensing the mixed dairy product.
 27. The method of claim 24, wherein, in the act of obtaining a first liquid dairy product, the first liquid dairy product is skim milk; and in the act of obtaining a second liquid dairy product, the second liquid dairy product is whole milk.
 28. A method of making a beverage, the method comprising: receiving an instruction to specify a mixture of a first liquid dairy product and an enzyme; mixing the first liquid dairy product and the enzyme according to the instruction; dispensing the mixed first liquid diary product and the enzyme into a cup; and dispensing a coffee product into the cup.
 29. The method of claim 28, further comprising: mixing a second liquid dairy product with at least one of the group of the first liquid dairy product and the enzyme; and wherein the act of dispensing the mixed first liquid diary product and the enzyme into a cup also includes dispensing the mixed second liquid dairy product.
 30. A method of making a beverage, the method comprising: receiving an instruction to specify a mixture of a first liquid dairy product and a flavoring liquid; mixing the first liquid dairy product and the flavoring liquid according to the instruction; dispensing the mixed first liquid diary product and the flavoring liquid into a cup; and dispensing a coffee product into the cup.
 31. The method of claim 30, further comprising: mixing a second liquid dairy product with at least one of the group of the first liquid dairy product and the flavoring liquid; and wherein the act of dispensing the mixed first liquid diary product and the flavoring liquid into a cup also includes dispensing the mixed second liquid dairy product. 